The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce pledged support for national recovery after Cyclone Ditwah, coordinating relief with government agencies and donating funds originally allocated for summit social events to relief efforts. The Chamber will proceed with the Sri Lanka Economic and Investment Summit in a revised format focused on recovery and resilience.
Sri Lanka Police has set up dedicated phone lines and designated officers to assist foreign tourists affected by severe weather disruptions, providing multiple contact numbers for the Police Tourism Division and airport police.
Sri Lanka Air Force helicopters airlifted 21 foreign tourists stranded in Nuwara Eliya to Colombo; the group included 11 Indians, 4 South Africans, 2 Germans, 2 British and 2 Slovenians. The Tourism Ministry said medical assistance, accommodation and transport have been arranged and thanked the Defence Ministry, Air Force and health authorities.
Sri Lanka Tourism activated 24/7 support and a hotline (1912), offering free visa extensions, a simplified verification process, and requesting airlines waive cancellation/rebooking fees after severe weather disrupted transport and affected tourism operators.
Cyclone Ditwah made 206 major roads impassable and damaged 10 bridges in Sri Lanka; Bailey bridges will be used to restore traffic while permanent rebuilding may take 12–18 months. Road clearance and repairs to the Colombo–Kandy rail link are underway as costs are assessed.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake met the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce to seek business cooperation for disaster relief and to ensure the industrial sector is not hampered. The chamber raised issues affecting tourism, airports and transport, and discussions covered restoring electricity, drinking water and infrastructure such as highways and bridges.
Sri Lanka extended visa-free status for tourists stranded by Cyclone Ditwah and secured airlines' agreement to waive flight cancellation and date-change fees (a passenger's declaration is sufficient); the SLTDA offered assistance via hotline 1912.
Sri Lanka Tourism announced free visa extensions and full waivers of airline cancellation/date-change fees for tourists affected by recent severe weather, with a simplified self-declaration verification process. It warned some areas have accessibility issues and provided a 24-hour hotline (1912) for assistance.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake met the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce seeking business support for relief and to restore normalcy after adverse weather. The discussion covered impacts on tourism, airports and transport and urgent restoration of electricity, drinking water and highways and bridges.
Japan is sending a 4-member team including JICA staff and medical personnel to Sri Lanka to assess Cyclone Ditwah damage and coordinate relief; the cyclone has killed 159, 203 are missing and 833,000 people were affected.
Access to Gampola and Kandy has been restored after Cyclone Ditwah; relief teams and the military are working to restore electricity (expected by evening) and water (within three days) while roads remain partially blocked and fuel supplies are being sent.
TourismHealthcare & PharmaFuel & Energy PricesConstruction Activity
Gross dollar inflows were $2,357m in October 2025, $200m higher than imports of $2,157m, while the goods trade deficit was $1,007m. A surge in private credit lifted investment goods and vehicle imports (personal vehicle imports rose to $205.6m from $2.0m a year earlier).
Cyclone Ditwah killed 69, left 34 missing and affected 219,286 people, prompting evacuations and severe flood warnings while the Moragahakanda–Laggala Bridge was washed away. Authorities issued major flood warnings for eight rivers and warned of storm surges as reservoirs overflowed.
The Irrigation Department warned Kelani River levels have risen to 2.83m and could reach historic highs, and authorities have designated R. Premadasa Stadium as an emergency relief centre for up to 3,000 people. Officials said intense rainfall and increased upstream releases keep the flood threat high for the next 24 hours.
The Department of Wildlife has closed most national parks (Horton Plains, Wasgamuwa, Kumana, Wilpattu, Minneriya, Kaudulla and Yala Blocks 1–4) due to heavy rain, flooding and landslides from Cyclone Ditwah; Yala Block 6 via Kalupalama remains open.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake chaired the National Disaster Management Council to review the severe-weather emergency and ordered security, disaster and irrigation authorities to ensure uninterrupted rescue, strengthen reservoir monitoring, and expedite compensation and relief. He also asked agencies to speed fertiliser/seed distribution for farms and to safeguard services for tourists.
Bandaranaike International Airport warns adverse weather is affecting Sri Lanka and urges passengers to check flight status online; SriLankan Airlines passengers should call 1979 (domestic) or +94117771979 (international).
Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority says Sri Lanka remains safe and open for travel despite seasonal rainfall, with major tourist destinations, hotels, transport and attractions operating as usual; a 24-hour tourism hotline (1912) is available for assistance.
Sri Lanka Tourism said the country remains safe and fully open to visitors despite adverse weather, with hotels, transport and attractions operating normally. Authorities and industry partners are coordinating safety measures with the Disaster Management Centre, Tourist Police and a 24-hour tourism hotline (1912).
Sri Lanka will host the FICAC South Asia Conference in Colombo from 1–4 February 2026, a four-day gathering of Honorary Consuls expected to promote investment, trade and tourism.
A Germany-based Sri Lankan executive is promoting investment in Sri Lanka's cruise tourism, seeking to attract 5,000–7,000-passenger liners and link international cruise lines with local hotels. He is engaging SLPA, AHK and BOI and aims to establish operations in Colombo by 2027 pending feasibility studies.
Sri Lanka's Department of Wildlife closed most national parks to tourists, keeping only Block 06 of Yala open, after Cyclone Ditwah brought heavy rains, floods and landslides that killed over three dozen people. Roads, schools and parliamentary budget debate were disrupted and tourist assistance hotlines were activated.
Sri Lanka's average tourist daily spend fell to $148 from $171, a survey of 11,000 inbound and 5,000 outbound travelers found; independent travelers stay longer (around 16 days) and 58% of tourists were women, presenting opportunities for targeted services.
Fitch warns political flare-ups will remain a credit risk for some APAC emerging-market sovereigns in 2026, potentially hurting tourism, consumer and business confidence and external balances.
CBSL kept policy rates unchanged at 7.75% in its final 2025 Monetary Policy Review, citing price stability and potential growth. The Bank projected 4.5% GDP growth for 2025, expects inflation to reach a 5% target by H2 2026, and said gross official reserves remain above $6bn.
SLTDA revised estimated per-day tourist spending down from $171 to $148, prompting forecasts that 2025 tourism earnings will undershoot targets despite strong arrivals. October revenue rose just 0.3% even as arrivals jumped 21.5%, and authorities expect earnings nearer last year's levels rather than the SLTDA’s $5bn goal.
SLTDA Chairman Buddhika Hewawasam urged Sri Lanka to shift from volume to higher-value tourism, warning average revenue per tourist remains well below regional peers despite crossing 2 million arrivals in 2025. He flagged accommodation and domestic aviation bottlenecks — about 45 weekly flight cancellations — and said SLTDA released 3,000 acres to unlock hotel investment.
TourismConstruction Activity
Daily FT·Nov 27, 2025·Major contract or orderPositive
The Urban Development Authority will lease the Pettah Floating Market Complex to a Japanese investor in a $160 million deal, with an initial $16 million payment received. The investor plans a full refurbishment to revive the night-market and talks are under way on compensation for existing shop-holders.
Fitch warned political flare-ups will remain a credit risk for some APAC emerging-market sovereigns in 2026 after significant unrest this year in Indonesia, the Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal and the Philippines. Such unrest can hurt confidence, tourism, remittances and external balances and pressure budgets.